Petrovic returns to Cedevita

With the biggest games in its history coming up in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague, Cedevita Zagreb has turned to former coach Aleksandar “Aco” Petrovic to head its bench once again, the club announced Monday.

Petrovic, 53, was head coach of Cedevita between 2010 and 2011, leading the club, in its debut Eurocup season, to a place in that competition’s semifinals. For his efforts that season, Petrovic was chosen Eurocup Coach of the Year. After a successful career as a player, Petrovic started his coaching career in 1991 with Cibona Zagreb. After four seasons there, he also coached in Spain, leading Seville in the Euroleague, as well as in Poland and Italy. He has mainly stayed in Croatia, however, as the boss at Cibona and KK Zadar before Cedevita. He is also the current head coach, since last February, of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team. Petrovic is a former Euroleague champion as a player, having won the 1984-85 title with Cibona as a starter alongside his late brother, Drazen Petrovic.

“It took us three-and-a-half minutes to reach an agreement. Cedevita was interested, I was available and we did not bother with the length of the contract. Rather than that, results speak about every coach, so we will sit down and talk at the end of this season again,” Petrovic said at a press conference in Zagreb on Monday afternoon.

“I am really interested in what we can do in the remaining games in the Euroleague. This team has many experienced players and it would be really good for them if we could manage to move into Top 16 and play two games a week for the entire season. And I believe we have a chance to go through. Game against Anadolu Efes on Thursday is our first chance. I have to mobilize everyone I can for that game.”